Hyundai Santa Fe: One car, two critics

Parents care about safety in their new family-mobile, even if they prefer bright colours and SUV styling. The latest evidence of this comes in Hyundai’s major safety upgrade on its seven-seater Santa Fe, including much-needed driver assistance on the base front-drive Active.

THE PICK-UP

ALI: It looks good but quite big. Santa Fes are pretty good if I remember right.

PAUL: We’re driving it because Hyundai has added a suite of extra safety gear, which it calls SmartSense.

ALI: About time. Hyundai had just about the worst infotainment in the business. I think CarPlay should be the industry standard.

PAUL: I’ve never liked their Bluetooth but they have finally responded to all the complaints.

There’s not much room behind the third row of seats. Pic: Supplied.Source:Supplied

THE BAGGAGE

ALI: The seats are comfortable, it’s roomy inside and the infotainment controls are easy to use. Finally, too, a car that can rewind and fast-forward music or media.

PAUL: This one is the Active X, so one up from the bottom, and I think the interior quality is pretty good, especially for the price. It’s not as classy as a Mazda CX-9 but it’s close enough for most people and this one is $39,990 on the road — very impressive with that five-year warranty.

ALI: But they still have those nasty front doors, which bite into your ankles if you get too close.

PAUL: That’s something I’ve never noticed but now I have I can see you’re right. Still, it’s easy to get in and out and I like the way the second row seats split and slide for access and loading.

The cabin has been updated. Pic: Supplied.Source:Supplied

THE COMMUTE

PAUL: It drives well. Smooth and quiet, with great suspension for one of these giant SUVs.

ALI: For something so large, this car handles stop-start traffic OK. I don’t notice any blind spots in traffic and it has plenty of pick-up when I need it.

PAUL: The V6 gives it good pulling power and the economy is fine for a vehicle of its size. I find myself comparing it with the Kia Sorento, its South Korean twin, which is a bit nicer inside for me.

ALI: I really like the Sorento. So that makes this Hyundai pretty close to the top of the class.

The Hyundai feels smooth on the road. Pic: Supplied.Source:Supplied

THE SHOPPING

ALI: I love these bigger seven-seaters which have a smaller boot. When you have the rear seat up, the boot space is small but perfectly formed for loading a few grocery bags in the back so it doesn’t end up everywhere.

PAUL: But it means you have to fold the third row down to get anything big in the back. So it’s swings and roundabouts.

ALI: Parking is fine but be aware of the size of this beast.

SUNDAY RUN

PAUL: It’s big and heavy but the ride is good, it corners well and the V6 gives it punch for hills and overtaking.

ALI: Going up and down the mountains to Mum’s isn’t an issue. Sometimes I feel like big cars are difficult to slow down on a steep gradient but this car felt reliable and solid. Fuel economy was good too, which was surprising. I am not a huge lover of big cars but it was great to just throw all the gear in the back seat — kids in the third row of course — and take off.

One the weekend run. Pic: Richard Gosling.Source:News Corp Australia

THE FAMILY

PAUL: I think the latest safety package is impressive and will be important to a lot of families. It genuinely makes a difference.

ALI: I love being able to chuck the kids in the rearmost seats and talk about them and they can’t hear.

ELI: What’s that Mum? What were you saying about us?

ALI: Just how much fun you are.

PAUL: For me, the boot is way too small for seven people. But you can’t have everything.

THE TICK

ALI: Yes, definitely. For buyers who want plenty of room, reasonable comfort within a good budget, this is a smart buy.

PAUL: No question. With the safety upgrade and that value package it gets The Tick from me.